Inspired by the legend of “The Magic Crossbow”, the musical opens up an artistic space rich in images and emotions, vividly recreating the spiritual life, culture and beliefs of the Au Lac people in an ancient historical period. The highlight of the play is the love story between My Chau and Trong Thuy, portrayed from a realistic and humane perspective. The audience is led through the royal palace scenes, rituals, costumes and music with strong identity - where traditional values such as loyalty, trust and the spirit of returning to the roots are honored. Through the musical , the students hope to convey Vietnamese culture to international friends.

Học sinh tỏa sáng trong nhạc kịch

Image from the musical "The Magic Crossbow".

“When staging a traditional-themed play using English, we kept the traditional elements but brought in a modern Broadway style. We included many traditional songs but they were remixed and arranged in a more fresh way,” said singer Nguyen Tran Trung Quan, the play’s music advisor. Artist Trung Quan added that he was very surprised by the students’ singing and acting abilities. Not only that, they were also very united and close-knit. During the rehearsal process, the advisory board gave them many challenges, but they all did it. They brought a professional musical performance, not just a mere extracurricular activity.

Participating in the performance of “The Magic Crossbow” are nearly 50 students from primary, secondary and high school of Victoria School, practicing and staging for two months. After performing on the school stage, the Organizing Committee decided to bring the show to Ho Chi Minh City Theater to sell tickets. From the content, performance to sound and lighting, all were evaluated by experts as meticulous and professional.

People's Artist My Uyen, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Small Stage Drama Theater, praised: "I have to give the word admiration because you are just students, but your demeanor, acting ability, and coordination are very good. And the message of peace is also very good, very impressive. A play performed by students, but staged and organized not inferior to any professional stage production."

“Beyond the framework of a school stage, the musical “The Enchanted Crossbow” becomes a special cultural exchange, where students not only demonstrate their talents but also learn to appreciate traditional values in a modern art form. Traditional values such as loyalty, trustworthiness and the spirit of returning to one’s roots are spread by the students to the audience and their peers. This is a form of learning that needs to be widely replicated in schools,” said Meritorious Artist Chi Trung, advisor of the play.

From students who have never stood on stage before, they have confidently sung, danced, and acted... To complete their roles, they have to learn English skills, teamwork skills, Vietnamese history, and combine Western culture and art. Taking on the female lead role - My Chau, Dang Nguyen Thu Ky, a 10th grade student, shared that participating in this musical was a journey that helped her mature a lot: "In addition to learning performance skills and improving my English, I also learned how to listen and understand more about the inner feelings of a character in a historical legend like My Chau". Meanwhile, Gia Bao, who plays the king, said that the process of practicing and transforming into the character helped him better understand the role and pressure of a leader of the country and see the value of peace, patriotism, and national spirit.

“Schools are not only places to impart knowledge, but also places to sow the seeds of culture, inspire creativity and nurture national identity,” said Mr. Christopher Bradley, Deputy General Director of Academic Affairs at Victoria School. “Through art, students learn to love their country, work in teams, think creatively and express themselves with confidence, which is the luggage for them to maintain the Vietnamese character no matter where they go in the world.”

According to People's Army

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/hoc-sinh-toa-sang-trong-nhac-kich-chiec-no-than-a421737.html